theater, artistic practice, & civic life in algeria

dr. jane e. goodman

Before and after a show

What actors do before and after plays.


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Title: Setting up for a show
Place: Ain Defla House of Culture
Date: May 30, 2009
Duration: 0:42

 

El Moudja arrived to find that their show had not been confirmed by local organizations – a not uncommon occurrence in Algeria. In the end, the show went on 5 hours later than El Moudja had anticipated. Here, Mansour, the set designer, wonders how he will set up the stage without a professionally equipped theater. Note the photograph of Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika in the background.

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Title: Pre-show preparations
Place: Ain Defla House of Culture
Date: May 30, 2009
Duration: 1:36

 

Actors loosen up on stage before the show. 

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Title: Recruiting an audience
Place: Ain Defla House of Culture
Date: May 30, 2009
Duration: 1:03

 

A representative from the local cultural association “Sirat Boumedienne des Arts Dramatiques” talks to me and El Moudja’s director Djilelli Boudjemaa about how they managed to recruit an audience in several hours despite the fact that the show had not been advertised.

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Title: Setting up the stage
Place: Nedroma
Date:
Duration: 3:40

 

Mansour, set designer, creates El Moudja’s set without the benefit of a professionally equipped theater. Note that the ladder he is standing on is being supported by three actors.

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Title: Dancing after the show
Place: Nedroma
Date: May 6, 2009
Duration: 0:58

 

Actors dance on stage as they strike the set.